Beneath the Stands: An Enemies to Lovers, Best Friend's Brother Romance (Sugarlake Series, Book Two)

by Emily McIntire

  “Forgiveness is…” She sighs. “Forgiveness is hard. Lettin’ someone back in is harder. It’s like takin’ a leap of faith while bein’ afraid of the heights.”

  My throat swells, the scar tissue forming the wall around my heart tearing at her words.

  “Do you still love her?” She cocks her head.

  My chest squeezes as I nod. “I think I’ll always love her.”

  “Well, you’ll do what you want. I won’t push.” Lee’s eyes grow sad, a dark hue swirling through the icy blue. “I just hope you don’t look back in five years and regret not takin’ the leap. Especially if she’s your happy place.”

  She drops the subject, but her words slide through the cracks of my heart, making it beat a different rhythm.

  Normally Lee would be with me at Ma’s grave. I’ve started visiting every Sunday with her, but she’s in Nashville with Chase, so today I’m here alone.

  My mind whirls the same way it has ever since my talk with Lee about what makes me happy.

  I spent so much time after Becca left, blaming her for the hollowness that raged inside me. But she’s not responsible for my emptiness, just as she’s not responsible for my happiness. It’s unfair to put your emotional well-being on someone else’s shoulders, and I’ve spent the majority of my life doing just that.

  Becca didn’t cure me when she showed up in my life. She was the bandage to my loneliness, and once she was gone it ripped the scab, making me bleed all over again, only this time it was worse because I knew what it felt like to love her and then lose her. So I channeled everything into my hurt, instead of working on healing the wounds that existed before her.

  And then I used Sarah, hoping that appeasing Ma with a marriage after death would fill something within myself, some twisted sense of obligation for all the ways I didn’t show up when she was still alive, not considering that all she ever wanted was my happiness.

  There’s no recovering from her death, no making up for the things I wish I had done differently. But Lee’s right, you can either stay still, living in the mistakes, or you can take the leap and hope like hell you make it to the other side.

  There’s a sound behind me, like paper crinkling, and I spin toward the noise. As if I manifested her from my thoughts, Becca stands there with a bouquet of flowers clenched between her fingers.

  My stomach flips, the way it always does when she’s near.

  “Hi,” she breathes.

  “Hi. What are you doing here?” I ask.

  She lifts the bouquet and nods toward Ma’s headstone. “Lee asked me to come by and drop these off since she couldn’t make it.” Her head tilts. “Surprised to see you here, though. She made it sound like no one else could do it.”

  I chuckle. Of course she did. “She knew I would be here. I’ve been coming here with her the past few Sundays.”

  “Oh. That’s good. She said y’all were gettin’ along better.”

  “Yeah.”

  She bobs her head, her gaze darting around the cemetery.

  There are so many things on the tip of my tongue, but somehow, I still don’t know what to say. So I’m silent—stuck in place—staring at her like a moron, the air spreading thin from the energy crackling between us.

  She smiles softly and walks past me, her sweet scent floating on the breeze, making my nostrils flare when it hits.

  Crouching down, she unwraps the bouquet, adding them to the flowers I already brought. Her hand reaches out and rests on top of Ma’s name, her head bowing.

  I stand back and watch her, emotion swelling in my chest at the sight of her having a moment with Ma. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget how close they were. That she was affected by the loss too.

  It isn’t until she rises back up a few minutes later that I see the wetness on her cheeks. My heart thrums in my ears, my fists clenching to stop myself from reaching out to comfort her.

  “So.” She swipes a curl from her forehead. “How ya been?”

  “Good. Really good.”

  She nods, shifting on her feet, her hands in her back pockets. “That’s good.” She blows out a breath, rocking back on her heels. “This is awkward, huh?”

  A laugh bursts out of me. “Fuck… yes. I’m glad you said it.”

  She giggles. “You excited to start your new gig? Not long now.”

  My stomach clenches, my muscles locking tight. “Yeah. I can’t wait.”

  She watches me, her gaze softening the longer she stares. “You nervous?”

  “Yep.”

  She steps closer, and I can feel the heat of her body wrapping around me, offsetting the slight chill from the evening breeze.

  “They’re gonna love you,” she whispers. “You’re meant to lead, Eli. Don’t forget it.”

  My chest splits at her words—at the fact she just knows what I need to hear.

  “Yeah, hope so.” I run my hand over my hair. “How about you? I heard about your parents.”

  “Yeah.” She swallows thickly, glancing at her feet. “I’ve been lettin’ them use me for a long time. Now I’m free of that, so I’ll be alright. I’m a little sad though.”

  I nod, my hand scratching the scruff on my chin. “Takes a lot of guts to do what you did. You should be proud of yourself.”

  “Too bad it took me so long, huh?” She smiles.

  I shrug. “Better late than never.”

  “Right.” She scratches at her temple. “Listen, you.” She reaches up, tangling her fingers through her hair. “You asked me why… and I never really gave you the answers you deserve. If you’re still wantin’ to know, I reckon it’s far past time for me to tell you.”

  My gut clenches, the closure that I’ve been craving suddenly close enough to grasp. “You know I do,” I rasp.

  She nods. “I lived my whole childhood lookin’ up to two men. My old man and the big guy up in the sky.” She points above her head. “And then I experienced my first heartbreak when I caught Papa with Sally Sanderson when he shoulda been home with my momma.”

  My stomach sours at the thought of her finding him that way. Of all the repercussions that could have on any person, let alone a child.

  Maybe I should be shocked, but I can’t say I’m truly surprised. Preacher Sanger puts on a good facade but if you look close enough, it’s easy to see through the mask.

  “And from then on when I looked at my momma,” she continues. “I saw a broken woman, tricked into a life by a man who spun pretty lies and trapped her in his web.”

  My chest squeezes. “So you’re saying…”

  “I’m sayin’ I was afraid of what it meant to let myself love you. To let myself be loved.” She swallows, glancing at the ground before meeting my eyes. “Have you ever let someone in, let someone else’s words become your gospel?”

  My heart stalls, images of all the times Pops’s words gripped me tight and never let go, even after I had been gone for years.

  I nod, my jaw clenching.

  “Papa may be the preacher, but it’s Momma who writes the scripture. And together they…” She blows out a breath. “Together they twisted me up so good I couldn’t see the forest for the trees. It’s not an excuse.” She shakes her head. “But it is what it is. I loved you so much.” Her eyes glisten, her tongue swiping along her lower lip. “And it terrified me.” She smiles softly. “Still does if I’m honest.”

  My heart jolts, thumping against my chest at the thought of her loving me—of her never having stopped.

  “I’m workin’ on it, though. On me. I’m learnin’ to separate who I’ve always been told to be with who I really am. Learnin’ how to not let my fear of the future overpower my happiness in the now. That’s all any of us can really do, right? Is try.”

  I swallow, my mouth sluggish while the missing puzzle pieces start to click into place. And while it doesn’t make the past disappear, it does bring me peace. A blank hole that’s been filled with a sense of understanding.

  “Anyway.” She sighs. “It was real nice to see you.
I’ll let you get back to time with your momma.”

  My heart stutters as she starts to leave. There’s this feeling that’s been flittering inside me for days. An anxious energy that bursts as she walks down the path back to the lot.

  “Hey,” I yell.

  She turns, her eyebrow quirking.

  “You hungry?”

  A smile spreads across her face, highlighting the rosy hue that dusts across her cheeks.

  She nods.

  My heart leaps.

  I follow.

  Epilogue

  Becca

  There’s a sting in my back, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you what it’s from. Probably one of the random things on my desk that I’m currently laying on top of while Eli does delicious things in between my thighs.

  “God, Eli, quit teasin’ me. You’re drivin’ me insane.”

  “Good things come to those who wait, baby girl.” He smirks up at me.

  I quirk a brow. “Is that what you tell your players after you lose all those games?”

  He chuckles, skimming my body with his hands as he rises back up, his lips meeting mine. “That fuckin’ mouth of yours.”

  I grin against his lips, leaning in to nip at them. He catches my mouth before I can break away, his tongue tangling with mine. My eyes close while I savor his taste, a moan slipping out when I feel his cock nudging my center, then sliding inside me until we’re hip to hip. He pulls out and repeats the action, my walls fluttering around him—his tongue having done most of the work to get me where I need to be. The heat spreads from my core through my body, my muscles seizing in anticipation.

  “This is gonna be quick, we have places to be.” He palms my ass, angling me so he can hit deeper.

  “If you’d quit talkin’ and just fuck me, we’d get there faster.”

  He smirks, pulling out and gripping his cock, his forearm flexing as he strokes himself. “Say please.”

  I shake my head, biting my lips to hide my smile.

  He leans in, smearing his precum along my slit as he drags his tip between my folds. “Shame. What will my sister think when we’re late to dinner?”

  “I’ll just tell her you couldn’t satisfy my needs quick enough.”

  His hand comes up and wraps around my throat, his fingers squeezing just enough to cut off my air supply. Sparks fire, my pussy clenching against nothing, desperate to be filled.

  “Keep it up, Rebecca, and I’ll come on top of this pretty pussy instead of inside you.” He emphasizes his words by sliding his length back and forth against my clit, making my legs shake with the tension that’s pulling tight inside me.

  He lessens his grip on my neck. “Tell me,” he rasps.

  “Please.”

  “Good girl.” He thrusts hard and fucks me fast, the motion causing the pens on the corner of my desk to shake. My legs come up to wrap around him, needing him deeper.

  He trails kisses along my jaw until his head rests in the crook of my neck. His breaths are heavy on my skin, causing tingles to shoot down my spine and goose bumps to sprout over my body.

  “I love being inside you.”

  “I love you,” I moan back.

  His hips jerk, pushing in so deep he hits my cervix, the sharp stab of pain enough to send me spiraling off the edge. My fingers claw at his shoulders, pulling him close as I convulse around him, hoping to mold his body to mine until I can’t tell us apart.

  The sound of his groan vibrates against my skin as he explodes inside me, his cock pulsing against my walls, my pussy milking him of every drop.

  “Christ,” he pants, collapsing against me.

  I should be worried that someone heard, but the school day is already over and my office is in the very back hallway. I try to keep things professional while we’re at work, but Eli likes to corner me in places I tell him not to and seduce me into submission.

  I’ve always been a sucker for Eli’s control.

  It’s been six months since we ran into each other at the cemetery. Thanks, Lee.

  It was rough at first. There was a lot of hurt between us. But Doc says the best relationships start with friendship, and if the foundation is strong, even the strongest storm won’t knock it down.

  So, we took our time. Became friends. Built the trust on both sides. Learned how to communicate in a healthy way, and to keep from giving in to the voices that whisper we don’t deserve the happiness.

  And I’ve never been so damn happy.

  Eli lifts off me and buckles up his pants, bending over to grab my panties off the floor. He winks as he slips them in his pocket.

  I arch my brow. “You expect me to go to your sister’s without panties?”

  “Looks like it.” He smirks.

  “Okay, that’s fine.” I stand up and straighten my skirt, reaching for a tissue to clean his cum from where it’s dripping out of me. “But don’t come cryin’ to me when you get jealous thinkin’ Jax might accidentally see somethin’ he shouldn’t.”

  Jax came roaring back into town a few weeks ago, not willing to talk about the reason why. Just said he was done with California and everything that came with it. I’m not one to push, but he’s crazy if he thinks we don’t all see the change. There’s a heaviness in his gaze that didn’t used to be there.

  The only person he’ll talk to is Chase, which is ironic considering he couldn’t stand him for years.

  Men.

  Eli’s smile drops. “I forgot he was back.”

  I shrug. “Your choice, big head.”

  He rubs his jaw, walking over to me and grabbing my wrist before I can put the tissue between my thighs. “Leave it. I want to know I’m dripping out of you while you sit at the dinner table.”

  I roll my eyes, pretending I’m annoyed, even though his words send a spike of arousal through my body. I grasp his hips with my hands, dipping my fingers into his pocket. “Then give me back my panties.”

  Yanking the fabric from his pants, I push him back so I can slip them on and grab my purse.

  When we get to the front entrance, there’s a few kids by the doors, huddled around their phones, giggling.

  “What’s so funny?” I ask.

  They straighten. “Oh, hi Miss Sanger. You’ll never believe who we just saw!” Becky, one of our sophomores, says, her voice high and loud.

  “Who’s that?”

  “Blakely Donahue!” she shrieks.

  I widen my eyes and nod. “Oh, I see. Who’s that?”

  Sammi, another sophomore, giggles. “You don’t know who Blakely Donahue is? She’s the freakin’ best. My favorite influencer.”

  “Right?” Becky agrees. “She’s so pretty. I heard she was datin’ one of her daddy’s employees. Some twenty-eight-year-old.”

  “She said it wasn’t true, Becky,” Sammi chastises. “Can you imagine, though? She’s nineteen! That’s fuckin’ gross.”

  I put my hands on my hips. “Hey, watch your mouth, ladies. Where’d you see this Blakely Donahue?”

  “She was just here!” Becky says.

  I smile at their excitement. I don’t spend time on social media so I have no idea who this girl is, but I’m surprised anyone would find themselves in Sugarlake by coincidence.

  “Here as in Sugarlake?” Eli asks.

  “Here as in here.” Becky points out the windows toward the front of the school where a royal blue Maserati sits haphazardly along the curb—a girl with long legs and heels taller than mine stands next to it, talking on her phone.

  My brows draw down as I glance back at the girls. “Alright, girls. Y’all don’t stick around here too long.”

  “Bye, Miss Sanger!”

  Eli squeezes my waist. “I’m gonna go grab the car and bring it around. You okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m just gonna see if she needs help with anything.” I nod toward the girl outside.

  I follow Eli out the front doors just as the girl spins toward me, her shiny, brown hair whipping behind her. She doesn’t look familiar, but Becky and Sammi
were right. She is pretty. Stunning in fact. And young. If I didn’t know every face in this high school, I’d confuse her for a student.

  “Hi. Can I help you with somethin’? I ask, shielding my eyes against the setting sun.

  Her amber gaze locks on mine as she slips her phone in her back pocket. “Oh, hi.” She chews on her lip. “I’m not sure.”

  “You new in town?”

  She laughs. “I guess you could say that. I’m looking for someone, but now that I’m here I’m not quite sure where to look. I just stopped at the first place I saw.” She gestures to the school behind us. “He doesn’t exactly know I’m here.”

  “Surprise visit?” I smile.

  “Something like that.” She grimaces.

  “Well, who ya lookin’ for? Maybe I can help. Small town and all.”

  “Jackson Rhoades.”

  Thanks for reading!

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  WANT MORE SUGARLAKE?

  Beneath the Hood (Jackson & Blakely) Book Three Releases April 6, 2021!

  Pre-order Beneath the Hood HERE

  Also by Emily McIntire

  Sugarlake Series

  Beneath the Stars, #1

  Beneath the Hood (April 2021)

  Title TBA (Coming Summer 2021)

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